Palladium Books® – Weekly Update – June 24, 2021

One game system – every genre – countless worlds – endless adventure

By Kevin Siembieda

This week has been very different from last week. All sorts of things have been going on with us – game interviews, shipping and receiving, chopping up downed trees, talking with friends, etc. I spoke to numerous friends and family on Sunday and enjoyed a pleasant Father’s Day. Then, around midnight on Sunday, a storm blew in and knocked out our power by dropping a huge tree branch on top of the transformer in our backyard! It also knocked down wires across the street. Happily, power was restored by Monday evening. Much sooner than the utility company had originally projected. That meant, however, Sunday night orders could not be processed until Tuesday morning and shipped on Wednesday along with Monday and Tuesday orders. We apologize for the brief delay.

The storm also had me and Wayne taking the chainsaw to fallen branches the size of medium trees on Tuesday. That included a couple of dead trees at the office. What fun.

Despite this unexpected turn of events and some distressing news regarding a few friends, I have been in the zone writing. What follows are updates and news on several fronts.

- Fewer than 25 copies of the Signed and Numbered Rifts® 30th Anniversary “Gold” Commemorative hardcover remain available! (Cat. No. 8000HC30, $75.00 retail, with an extra 38 color pages, limited to 200 signed and numbered copies.) We cannot believe they are selling so fast either. At this rate, we are likely to sell out over the weekend. We are not holding any back (though I have put aside 8 “Printer Proofs” for the Palladium Open House). This limited edition collector’s item is sold on a first come, first served basis while supplies last. Note: If you ordered one before June you should have received it by now. If you have not, please reach out to us via the Help Desk online or call the office (734-721-2903).

- The color cover Rifts® 30th Anniversary Commemorative hardcover is selling just as fast, and we have not yet received all the distributor orders for it. We printed more copies of this less expensive, but equally beautiful special edition hardcover. So even though it is selling fast, it should remain available for the next several months. In addition, if there is continued demand, we will keep it in print through Christmas and probably into the summer of 2022. That said, I doubt we will print more than 2,000 copies, so this will also be a rather limited special edition hardcover. (Cat. No. 800HC30, $49.99 retail, an extra 32 color pages and features the famous and iconic Keith Parkinson Splugorth Slave Barge painting.) Btw, I love this Rifts® 30th Anniversary Hardcover every bit as much as the “Gold” edition, probably because the Keith Parkinson cover and the original RPG hold many fond memories and great sentimental value for me and all of us. The colors on this hardcover also seem more vibrant than the old softcover book.

Both hardcovers are lovely presentations of the original Rifts® RPG given the deluxe treatment: Dynamic cover art, sturdy hardcover, eye-popping color endsheets, 30+ pages of additional color, never before seen concept art, a gallery of ALL Rifts covers to date, the history of Rifts® spotlighting key contributors, and more. A more detailed description can be found for each in the Palladium Books online store. Both Rifts® 30th edition hardcovers are available now.

- BACK IN STOCK! Rifts® Ultimate Edition Hardcover. This fan fave was delivered to the Palladium warehouse earlier today and is ready to ship. $44.99 – Cat. No. 800HC.

- Pinnacle’s Rifts® Savage Worlds Kickstarter featuring Rifts® Atlantis and Rifts® Underseas in a 192 page sourcebook launched Tuesday and is an instant success. It still has 12 days to go so you might want to check it out. The maps and adventures can be used with the Palladium game system as well as Pinnacle’s. You can find additional hype and details below.

- FUN NEWS. A new interview with me (Kevin Siembieda) and Sean Owen Roberson (Rifts® Savage Worlds) was released on Monday, June 21, on twitch.tv/peginc and remains available for your viewing pleasure. We had a blast doing it and covered a number of new subjects, bits of history and other material. I am confident you will enjoy it. See details below.

- MORE FUN NEWS. An even newer interview was conducted earlier this afternoon. I am not sure if it will be made available today or in a few days. It again features me and Sean Owen Roberson. This time we chat about how the Rifts® Savage Worlds sourcebooks are official source material approved by me! And it is all suitable for ANY Rifts® campaign. The many adventures and maps that appear in these books, as well as the large fold-out maps and other accessories, are ALL suitable for any Rifts® characters for EITHER game system. Adapting the adventures to “classic” Rifts® is a snap because you take the adventure, simply insert your Palladium Rifts® characters and off you go.

- Yet another fun interview. If you have not yet seen it, there is another fun interview between me (Kevin Siembieda) and Matt Yancik on Roleplayer With A Thousand Faces. Other interesting interviews with many RPG personalities are also found on this channel. Check it out at https://youtu.be/OKP-Lz33ljk

- 3 new RPG Hardcovers – After the Bomb® RPG, Ninjas & Superspies RPG, and Dead Reign® RPG – have suffered another slight delay. Grrrrrr. Despite assurances all three would ship to Palladium by the end of last week, they did not. I have been told they will ship next Wednesday. If that is true, Palladium will be able to start shipping them out on Friday, July 2. Brief descriptions of the three titles follow. More detailed descriptions can be found in the PalladiumBooks.com online store and elsewhere in this Update.

After the Bomb® RPG “Bonus” Edition Hardcover – Create any mutant animal from a turtle to an elephant, plus 72 pages of bonus material (the original AtB sourcebook and Yucatan Adventures). $39.99 – Cat. No. 503HC.

Ninjas & Superspies™ RPG “Bonus” Edition Hardcover – 40+ styles of martial arts, mystic abilities, spies and gadgets, plus 44 pages of bonus material from The Rifter®. $36.99 – Cat. No. 525HC.

Dead Reign® RPG Hardcover – The Zombie Apocalypse unleashed! Can you survive? $36.99 – Cat. No. 230HC. Same content as the softcover edition. The complete descriptions are found in Palladium’s online store.

- We would like your help. Please let us know what you want for hardcovers. We are looking for your suggestions about other titles you might want to see as hardcover editions, if any. We are planning to release the Chaos Earth® RPG and Nightbane® RPG (maybe with some bonus material). We are also considering a Splicers® RPG “Bonus” Edition Hardcover and a couple other ideas for hardcovers. Is there anything else you might want to see as a hardcover edition? If so, please let us know. It was YOUR suggestions that led me to produce the current hardcovers as it is, so it only makes sense to get more input from you about how we might proceed. Thank you.

- A 2021 Rifter® Annual is definite! So please send us your submissions by August 15, 2021. (Sooner is better!) We plan for it to be all new and a Christmas time release. With 8-12 week turnaround times from printers, we will need to submit the finished files to a printer by September in order to have it in time for Thanksgiving! So finish up your submissions and send them in for our consideration at your earliest convenience. We need adventures, monsters, villains, settings/locations, magic spells, magic items, tech weapons, vehicles, and all sorts of source material for ALL of our current settings. That includes settings such as Rifts®, Palladium Fantasy RPG®, Heroes Unlimited, After the Bomb®, Ninjas & Superspies, Beyond the Supernatural, Nightbane®, Splicers®, Rifts® Chaos Earth®, and, well any of them. All of them.

We would like to start editing and tweaking some of them by the beginning of August, so do not hesitate to send them in as soon as you are ready. We can only publish a Rifter® Annual if we get enough new material. That does not seem too difficult based on the number of you who have expressed your enthusiasm and support! AND it is a great way to get on our radar as writers (and artists). Material can be 2-5 pages, 6-12 pages, 15-30 pages, but please, not more than 30 pages for any one article. Please include the “Unsolicited Manuscript Form” with you submission. You can find it on the Palladium website under Questions & Resources – the Unsolicited Works Form. Send electronic submissions to rifter{at}palladiumbooks.com and if you have questions, call Palladium at 734-721-2903.

In the alternative, you can mail us physical Rifter® submissions and the Unsolicited Manuscript Form (as well as letters and unsolicited sourcebook manuscripts, created entirely on speculation) to:

Palladium Books – The Rifter
39074 Webb Court
Westland, MI 48185

NEW! 2 Interviews with Kevin Siembieda and Sean Owen Roberson on twitch.tv/peginc – available now

A fun interview with me (Kevin Siembieda creator of Rifts®) and Sean Owen Roberson (Pinnacle’s Savage Rifts® Line Editor) was posted this past Monday on twitch.tv/peginc. We did a new one this afternoon that will also appear on twitch.tv/peginc – and to appear soon.

We invite you to join me and Sean Owen Roberson for both interviews. In the Monday interview we discuss the Rifts® Megaverse® with an emphasis on Rifts®, Rifts® Atlantis, and what makes Rifts® Atlantis unique, as well as writing for licensed properties like TMNT. I believe for the first time ever in an online interview, I talk about the Disney Movie option, meeting Jerry Bruckheimer, and Hollywood licensing. This is a fun and different interview than many of those done in the past.

AND watch for the NEW follow-up interview also on twitch.tv/peginc. As I write this, I do not know when it will appear. Later today? Tomorrow? This weekend? So keep your eyes open for it and enjoy.

Here is another fun interview unrelated to the Kickstarter or PEG. If you have not yet seen it, this interview is between Kevin and Matt Yancik on Roleplayer With A Thousand Faces. As well as other interesting interviews with many RPG personalities. Check it out at https://youtu.be/OKP-Lz33ljk

NEW! Kickstarter for Rifts^® Atlantis Savage Worlds^® has gone live – by Pinnacle Entertainment Group (PEG)

Shrouded by the Demon Seas, birthplace of an ancient and wondrous civilization, and now host to a bizarre cosmic evil: Rifts Atlantis is a destination like no other!

Learn the secrets of the True Atlanteans and their powerful tattoos, explore enigmatic pyramids which first opened Earth to the Megaverse®, survive the wrath of monsters from the depths, and fight back against chthonic horrors bent on terror and subjugation!

The world of Savage Rifts® Atlantis has arisen and is waiting for you on Kickstarter. Unlock the 192 page sourcebook (with new Iconic Frameworks, MARS packages, and Races), an army of pawns for your game table, an alluring poster map, and more! Adventures, maps, updates, ideas and paraphernalia suitable for use in ANY Rifts® game. Explore the Megaverse®.

Explore the mysteries of Atlantis and undersea realms for Rifts® for Savage Worlds right now on Kickstarter! By Pinnacle Entertainment Group.

BACK in STOCK – Rifts^® Ultimate Edition – available to ship now

Rifts® Ultimate Edition provides gamers with everything you need to start playing. Just add some dice, players, and a heaping helping of imagination and you are ready to explore a realm of adventure unlike anything on the RPG market. No other RPG blends science fiction, fantasy, horror, and post-apocalyptic adventure with demons and aliens, robots and cyborgs, magic and the supernatural in such a plausible and dynamic way. A setting that lets you play any type and style of game you can imagine. Not to mention hundreds of different alien, supernatural, magical, and other beings available as player characters. All of it set on a post-apocalyptic Earth that is both familiar and as alien as a thousand different planets.

• There has never been another RPG quite like Rifts®.
• 376 page hardcover, 24 pages of color – $44.99 retail – Cat. No. 800HC – now available.

Other Core Rule Books now available as hardcovers

Due to popular demand we have been making select core rule books available as both hardcover and softcover editions and gamers are loving them. All feature a sturdy, color hardcover, color endsheets, and the RPGs and core titles you know and love. The following six titles have been selling like crazy.

Available now:

• Palladium Fantasy RPG® Hardcover (Cat. No. 450HC, $39.99 retail).
• Heroes Unlimited™ RPG Hardcover (Cat. No. 500HC, $39.99 retail).
• Beyond the Supernatural™ RPG Hardcover (Cat. No. 700HC, $36.99 retail).

Back in stock end of June/early July: We had plenty of the following Rifts® core sourcebooks until a few distributors snatched them all up! They should be back in stock sometime the week of June 28. People are enjoying these hardcovers.

• Rifts® Game Master Guide Hardcover (Cat. No. 845HC, $39.99 retail).
• Rifts® Book of Magic Hardcover (Cat. No. 848HC, $39.99 retail).
• Rifts® Adventure Guide Hardcover (Cat. No. 849HC, $36.99 retail).

ALL back in stock in a week or so.

Palladium Fantasy RPG®, 2nd Edition Hardcover – available now. A fantasy setting like no other, rich in history and inviting adventure. Not only are you able to play iconic fantasy heroes, but also characters such as the Mind Mage, Druid, Diabolist, Summoner, and an array of nonhuman characters from Elves and Dwarves to Wolfen, Changelings, Kobolds, Orcs, Ogres, and many others. 25+ Occupational Character Classes (O.C.C.s), 14+ inhuman player races (more in sourcebooks), 300+ magic spells, 60 magical wards, 50 magic circles, 70+ psychic powers, dozens of magic items, potions, Rune Weapons, and so much more. 336 pages – $39.99 retail – Cat. No. 450HC – available now. Also available as a softcover edition.

- Heroes Unlimited™ RPG, 2nd Edition Hardcover – available now – and has been a hit RPG for 30+ years. Why? Because it enables you to create any type of comic book hero you can imagine. 101 super abilities plus a multitude of sub-powers within them, bonuses and special combat capabilities. 72 psychic powers and 100+ magic spells, plus enchanted weapons and objects that turn a person into a superhuman. Psychics, super-powered aliens, mutants, super soldiers, Mega-Heroes, mages, immortals, cyborgs, robots, power armor, weapon masters, and more. Plus a dozen sourcebooks provide you with hundreds of additional super abilities, hero categories, bad guys, and adventures. 352 pages for a complete RPG – $39.99 retail – Cat. No. 500HC – available now. Also available as a softcover edition.

Beyond the Supernatural™ RPG, 2nd Edition Hardcover – A plausible modern horror setting unlike any other. One that makes sense and will challenge your role-playing skills. 14 Psychic Character Classes. 42 occupations for “ordinary” people, 100+ psychic abilities, including Fire Walker abilities, creatures of darkness, the Lazlo Agency, and more. All of these unlikely heroes stand against supernatural evil in a world of disbelievers who brand them as practitioners of fringe science and lunatics. Only your characters know the truth: supernatural evil is real and dangerous. Are you ready to join the battle? 256 pages – $36.99 retail – Cat. No. 700HC – available now. New sourcebooks are coming soon. Also available as a softcover edition.

Rifts® Game Master Guide™ Hardcover – available the week of June 28. 500+ weapons, 290 pieces of equipment, 180+ vehicles, 100+ suits of body armor. 80+ suits of power armor, 300+ skills, character and D-Bee index, dozens of maps, and more. 352 pages – $39.99 retail – Cat. No. 845HC – available the week of June 28. Also available in softcover.

Rifts® Book of Magic™ Hardcover – available the week of June 28. Nearly 1,000 magic spells, 400 magic weapons and devices from across Rifts Earth, plus magic tattoos, herbs, stones, automatons, Iron Juggernauts, Rune Weapons, Bio-Wizard weapons, talismans, and more. 352 pages of pure magic – $39.99 retail – Cat. No. 848HC – available the week of June 28. Also available in softcover.

Rifts® Adventure Guide™ Hardcover – available the week of June 28. 150+ adventure ideas, Game Master and player tips from Kevin Siembieda, Erick Wujcik and Bill Coffin, adventure creation, how to use alignments, tricks of running a large group, G.M. tools, overview and info about the CS Chi-Town ‘Burbs. Tables for creating towns, merc companies, and traveling shows and more. 192 pages – $36.99 retail – Cat. No. 849HC – available the week of June 28. Also available in softcover.

After the Bomb^® RPG “Bonus” Edition Hardcover – Slight delay at the printer, but it should ship end of next week

Create any type of intelligent, humanoid, mutant animal from a turtle or raccoon to an elephant or lion. The RPG presents stats for 100+ mutant animals, plus rules for creating any mutant animal you can imagine, and each sourcebook offers dozens more.

Play your mutant animals as super-heroes, vigilantes, or mutants on the run in the Heroes Unlimited™, Ninjas & Superspies™, Heroes of the Megaverse® or Skraypers™ settings. Or as mutants or monsters in Nightbane®. (You could make a mutant animal the Nightbane’s Morphus!) In Palladium Fantasy® your mutant animal could be one of the forgotten archaic races, a visitor from another world, a creation of magic, or a monster. In Rifts®, Chaos Earth®, Phase World® and the Three Galaxies, The Mechanoids®, Aliens Unlimited™, Splicers® and similar RPGs, use the creation rules to make new D-Bees, aliens, mutants, or monsters. Or play in the AtB post-apocalyptic Earth setting that makes Planet of the Apes seem tame. Whatever the setting, playing anthropomorphic animal characters is a blast.

• 100+ mutant animal stats included.
• Mutant animal creation rules to mutate ANY animal.
• 52 Mutant Animal Powers.
• 33 Mutant Animal Psionic Powers.
• New Animal Chimeras and their abilities.
• New back story to the After the Bomb® world of mutants.
• The post-apocalyptic Earth setting of “After the Bomb” is just one use for your mutant animal heroes.
• A complete RPG written by Erick Wujcik. His last great work and a sometimes overlooked RPG masterpiece. These are the Mutant Animal Creation Rules you know and love taken to new heights.
• Compatible with Heroes Unlimited™, Aliens Unlimited™, Nightbane®, N&S, Rifts® and any game setting where mutants or aliens are appropriate.
• 72 pages of “bonus” material includes the original After the Bomb® sourcebook and Yucatan Adventures from the old Game Shield.
• 296 pages (72 bonus pages) – $39.99 retail – Cat. No. 503HC – Ships the week of June 28. Also available as a 224 page softcover book ($26.99 retail – Cat. No. 503).

Ninjas & Superspies^™ RPG “Bonus” Edition Hardcover – Slight delay at the printer, but it should ship the end of next week

The Ninjas & Superspies™ RPG is the ultimate guide to martial arts with 40 different martial art forms and 48 mystic martial arts powers alone, but there is so much more. Asian combat skills accurately portrayed, each with its own unique fighting style, methods of attack and defense presented on an epic scale, complete with legendary mystic powers. Spies, Cyber Agents, Gadgeteers, secret organizations creation rules, secret identities, gimmick weapons and clothing, cyber-disguises, implants, and more. Compatible with Heroes Unlimited™ RPG and even Nightbane®, Rifts®, and other settings. A complete game PLUS 44 pages of bonus material gathered from The Rifter®.

• 40+ types of hand to hand combat — effectively offering 40 types of martial arts character classes!
• 17 Occupational Character Classes for spies, mercenaries, martial artists and special operatives.
• 48 mystic martial art powers.
• Dim Mak, Chi Mastery, the Arts of Invisibility and more.
• Bionic implants, disguises, weapons, & equipment.
• Secret identities, spy agencies, creation rules for secret organizations.
• Complete stand-alone RPG with skills, weapons, rules and guidelines for using other Palladium settings.
• Compatible with Heroes Unlimited™, Rifts®, Rifts® China, and the entire Palladium Megaverse®!
• 44 pages of “bonus” material gathered from The Rifter®.
• 224 pages – $36.99 retail – Cat. No. 525HC – RPG by Erick Wujcik – Ships the week of June 28. Also available as a 176 page softcover book ($22.99 retail – Cat. No. 525.) And see Mystic China (currently on sale) for an astonishing and fun sourcebook with more mystical martial arts abilities, magic, demons, immortals and more.

Dead Reign^® RPG Hardcover – The Zombie Apocalypse^™ – Slight delay at the printer, but it should ship the end of next week

The dead have risen and it would seem to be the end of the world.

Civilization crumbles in a matter of days as hundreds of millions of people die and rise as the walking dead. The hundreds of millions of people who fall to the zombies also rise to join the growing legions of undead. Then the world goes silent.

You are on your own. The army is MIA. There is no government. No law. No television, radio or Internet. No media, cell phones or communications of any kind. Cities and towns have gone dark, and zombies fill the streets.

Death Cults have risen, promising protection from the walking dead.

Retro-Savages have forsaken technology and sacrifice the living to the zombies in hopes of bringing an end to the nightmare.

Brave human survivors refuse to lie down and die! They come from all walks of life. Their common goal: survival as they struggle to forge safe havens away from the cities, rescue other survivors and battle the walking dead without respite. For now at least, the planet belongs to the dead.

Dead Reign® is an excellent introductory game that is easy to learn, fast to play, and fun to read. If you are looking for a zombie game that truly captures the feel of survival after the apocalypse and the nightmare of being stalked by zombies, Dead Reign® is it. Game mechanics are designed to create a real sense of escalating terror and dread when the zombies swarm. Sourcebooks expand the world, player options, and adventure ideas as well as new zombies and dangers.

• Six Apocalyptic Character Classes (O.C.C.) including the Reaper, Shepherd of the Damned, Hound Master, Apocalyptic Soldier, Scrounger and Ordinary People.
• Seven types of zombies plus the Half-Living. (Sourcebooks offer many more.)
• Secrets of the Dead: Everything you need to know about zombies and need to ask.
• Death Cults, their Priests, power over zombies and goals.
• Random tables galore and the fundamentals of survival.
• Strong setting, world overview and many adventure ideas.
• A complete role-playing game. 224 pages – $36.99 retail – Cat. No. 230HC – Ships the week of June 28. Also available as a 224 page softcover RPG ($26.99 retail – Cat. No. 230).

UPDATE: Rifts^® CS Manhunters

I have been working on this fun sourcebook whenever I can and it is looking great. With several hardcovers and reprints at the printer, and the Rifts® 30th Anniversary Hardcovers shipping, my plate is now cleared up for writing.

Rifts® CS Manhunters presents dark secrets of the Coalition States involving CS psychics, the super secret Psi-Ops Division (the thought police of Emperor Prosek), and the deadly super-patriots that are the enigmatic CS Manhunters. Includes 50+ NEW psionic abilities with real punch, insight into the Dog Boys and Kill Hounds, meanings revealed about the Seven Dangers Prophecy (first introduced in Rifts® Sourcebook 2: The Mechanoids®), and gadgets and implants, and surprises. All of it building toward something epic.

• New Coalition Psychic O.C.C.s.
• 50+ new psionic abilities and revisits of some favorites.
• CS Manhunter Divner and Precog.
• CS Manhunter Psi-Interrogator and Psi-Enforcer.
• CS Manhunter Bursters and Zappers.
• CS Manhunter Psi-Healers and CS Slayers.
• CS Manhunter Killhound and Dog Boy O.C.C.s.
• CS Manhunter Mind Melters, the deadliest of them all.
• CS Manhunter squads and special operations.
• Secrets of Psi-Ops Division and insight about Coalition psychics.
• Deciphering the Seven Dangers Prophecy.
• The impact of the demon plagues unleashed by the Minion War.
• Player Characters, NPCS, background info, adventure ideas, and more.
• 96-128 pages – $18.99 retail – Cat. No. 894 – In production and nearing completion.

UPDATE: Creature Feature^™, a Beyond the Supernatural^™ sourcebook

This is going to be another fun adventure sourcebook. The manuscript will go into editing and rewrites as soon as I finish CS Manhunters and most of the artwork is done. Though I may add a few illustrations and already have artists lined up. Creature Feature™ builds on material that has appeared in various issues of The Rifter® but there is a ton of new material and information useful to both Game Masters and players.

• A gallery of supernatural creatures. Some new. Some familiar, updated and expanded. All terrifying.
• Rules clarifications and errata.
• Game Master source material and advice on rules, psychic abilities, proximity and threat levels, I.S.P. multipliers, and more.
• Advice about running modern horror RPGs and using supernatural creatures in your games.
• Lots of adventure ideas, including an updated and expanded full adventure, “The Squatter.”
• New background and setting information for the BTS setting and a few surprises.
• Written by Steven Dawes, Kevin Siembieda, and others.
• Art by Steven Cummings, Nick Bradshaw and others.
• 160-192 pages – $22.99 or $26.99 depending on final size – Cat. No. 704.

UPDATE: Rifts^® Titan Robotics^™

Here it is, the reveal of the new cover. I hope you like it. I love that it presents the iconic Titan Robotics Combat Robot with a new big gun that hints at what else awaits you inside the book. I also enjoy the combat scene, smoke, and haze of war. Like Northern Gun and the Manistique Imperium, Titan Robotics sells freely to adventurers, mercenaries, and anyone who has the cash. Hence, the owners of these big ‘bots clashing with Coalition Forces.

This is why I call Rifts® Titan Robotics™ a high-tech toy box filled with many new types of Titan Robotics power armors, giant robots, vehicles, weapons, and gear. Some are big bruisers while others are small and sleek. As fun as these new tech toys are, Rifts® Titan Robotics™ delves into the company’s many secrets, including ARCHIE-3’s plans and program to monitor and manipulate the outside world. Learn about Archie’s androids that run Titan Robotics and his current schemes and plans for the future. All of which provides fodder for adventure.

• New Giant Robots.
• New Power Armor, equipment and accessories.
• 30+ power armors and robots, plus other equipment.
• New weapons, gear and vehicles.
• Titan Robotics Corporation and structure.
• Archie’s secret kingdom and plans for the future.
• New O.C.C.s and key Non-Player Characters (NPCs).
• Android executives, security and much more.
• Wellington Industries, campaign prompts and more.
• Art by Walton, Cummings, Atkins, and others. Cover by Mike Majestic.
• Written by Matthew Clements and Kevin Siembieda.
• 160-192 pages (tentative) – $22.99 retail (or $26.99) – Cat. No. 899.

UPDATE: Rifts^® Bestiary^™ Volume Two

The second big, “monster book” reference for Rifts® of what we anticipate to be three volumes in the series, more if we decide to make ghosts, spirits and Entities and/or Creatures of Magic part of the Bestiary series. Much like Volume One, Rifts® Bestiary™ Volume Two collects 70-100 monsters and animals plus 12-24 new beasts found across Rifts North America. The anticipated page count is 224-256 pages.

All volumes of the Rifts® Bestiary™ series are a great resource for players and Game Masters alike. Each description is updated, expanded, and highly detailed to present players with exotic and alien creatures as pets, guardians and riding animals, as well as slobbering monsters to battle and fierce beasts for Game Masters to throw at their players. Designed to offer adventure ideas, offers notes on young, adult, male and female creatures, and all provide plenty of ways to enhance your characters and spice up adventures. Each is accompanied by a map that shows at a glance where the beast can be encountered. Ah, but in the presence of Rifts and magic means any of the creatures may appear anywhere in the world, so be on your toes.

• Monsters and animals of Rifts North America organized into big, easy to use sourcebooks.
• Updated and expanded descriptions and information for each existing monster.
• Updated and uniform stat blocks.
• New exotic creatures – predators, exotic riding animals, beasts of burden, alien horrors, giant insects, and more.
• A map for every creature showing where it is found.
• Easily adapted to any Palladium setting – Palladium Fantasy®, Chaos Earth®, Splicers®, Phase World®, the Three Galaxies™, The Mechanoids®, Heroes Unlimited™/Aliens Unlimited™, and others.
• Basic S.D.C. stats included with each creature description.
• Fully illustrated, with art by Charles Walton II, Ramon Perez, Robert Atkins, and many others. Written by Kevin Siembieda.
• 256 pages each volume – $26.99 – Cat. No. 897 (Volume Two).

DriveThruRPG.com – Your RPG resource for 300+ PDF products – all using the same basic game system – learn one game and you can play them all

And we have settings for every genre: Fantasy RPG, science fiction (Rifts®, Splicers®, and The Mechanoids®), super-heroes (Heroes Unlimited and After the Bomb), superhero horror (Nightbane®), modern horror (Dead Reign® and Beyond the Supernatural), plus The Rifter® sourcebook series (by fans like you), novels, paper minis, and more.

Rifts® Novels: Duty’s Edge – The lone surviving soldier from a New German Republic Special Forces operation struggles to complete the mission on his own. A stand-alone Rifts® novel complete in itself. 236 pages, Cat. No. 308. The Cosmo-Knight and The Reckoning (Phase World®, the Three Galaxies, and Cosmo-Knights), the Rifts® trilogy of novels: Sonic Boom, Deception’s Web, and Treacherous Awakenings, as well as the Rifts® Anthology: Tales of the Chi-Town ‘Burbs (11 authors), Machinations of Doom (graphic novel by Ramon K. Perez), and Path of the Storm (a proposed Rifts® movie script) and 300+ other Palladium Books RPG titles.

Also available: Free Garden of the Gods™ (Fantasy) and Rifts® Bestiary™ Volume One Sneak Previews, and the Palladium Fantasy RPG® Interactive Character Sheet: A Microsoft Excel-based character management system. Packed with features and data collected from every official Palladium Fantasy sourcebook to enable you to create Fantasy characters quickly (25 minutes!) and help you to update and manage them for years to come.

Dead Reign® Paper Miniatures Volume Three: Zombies, Dead Reign® Paper Miniatures Volume Two: Civilians and Dead Reign® Paper Miniatures Volume One: Survivors. There are also paper miniatures for Heroes Unlimited™, Palladium Fantasy® and Rifts®. A new, up-to-date, PDF Palladium Books Catalog. Nightbane® Dark Designs™ sourcebook with 60 new Common Talents, 38 new Elite Talents, 18 new Morphus Tables, all other Morphus Tables collected and more. Systems Failure™ RPG, a 160 page RPG that deals with alien invasion and a post-apocalypse setting that is fun and dynamic. Civilization is on the verge of collapse when the so-called "bugs" invade and turn humans into zombie-like slaves. Monsters, heroes and fun. A complete RPG and setting. Rifts® World Book 34: Northern Gun™ Two: 256 pages of technology and fun. 30+ power armors, 30+ body armors, 15 combat vehicles, 45 vehicles (hovercycles, etc.), 10 robot haulers, the Robodome and more. Bizantium and the Northern Islands™: the northernmost part of the Known World, the Cold Born, Necromancy ships made from dead sea serpents, 15 creatures, Random Sea Monster Generator, and more. Rifts® Northern Gun™ One. This fan favorite might be thought of as the big book of giant robots – an in-depth look at Northern Gun, 70+ weapons, 27 robots, NG O.C.C.s, key people and places, and much more. Mysteries of Magic™ Book One: The Heart of Magic™ with Wizards, their Apprentices, nearly 60 new magic spells and remember, magic and monsters in the Fantasy RPG are easily adapted to Rifts®, Chaos Earth®, HU2 and other settings. Wolfen Empire™ Fantasy sourcebook, the Great Northern Wilderness and Killer Winters, 12 Wolfen Tribes, Wolfen military and society, 15+ creatures, 5 full adventures, 101 adventure ideas, random encounter tables, notable people, places, plus FREE Sneak Previews of The Rifter® #80, The Rifter® #81, The Rifter® #82, and more on DriveThruRPG.com.

• Rifts® is a genre-bending setting that combines science fiction, fantasy, horror, post-apocalypse survival, magic, and endless possibilities for adventure. Imagine a near perfect world of advanced technology 100 years in the future. Then imagine that world crashing down overnight in an apocalyptic upheaval not seen since the formation of the planet. A Great Cataclysm caused by the explosive return of magic. Now fast forward 300 years into the future where magic, dragons, and mythic gods coexist with cyborgs, giant robots and super-science rediscovered from humanity's Golden Age as humans rise from a lengthy Dark Age. But they must contend with countless alien life forms, monsters, and supernatural horrors from beyond the Rifts.
• Rifts® core titles we would suggest: Rifts® Ultimate Edition, Rifts® Game Master Guide, Rifts® Book of Magic, Rifts® Adventure Guide, D-Bees of North America™, Rifts® World Book 11: Coalition War Campaign and Rifts® Sourcebook One. Note: The Rifts® RPG, 1st Edition and Rifts® Ultimate, 2nd Edition are both available.
• 80+ Rifts® supplements, most of them available as PDFs with more coming. Where to start? Wherever sounds fun.
• Rifts® Dimension Books™: Travel to alien worlds and dimensions via the Rifts for off-world adventure and intrigue.
• Rifts® Chaos Earth® RPG and sourcebook series (all). Live through the Great Cataclysm and the Coming of the Rifts. Rifts® Chaos Earth® RPG, Creatures of Chaos™, Rise of Magic™, and Chaos Earth® Resurrection™ are all available.
• FREE Sneak Previews for Nightbane® Dark Designs™, Rifts® Secrets of the Atlanteans™, Rifts® CS Heroes of Humanity, and many other previews as well as free and low cost items that we make available. All of it adds to the growing list of Rifts and other Palladium RPG game titles available as PDF books, cards and support. A new title should be added every week or two, so keep watching for them.
• The Rifter® #1-84, ALL issues of The Rifter®. Each issue is a wealth of source material and ideas for 3-6 different Palladium game lines. Most are easily adapted to ANY Palladium game setting. Each issue a gem. 8,500 pages of source material and ideas for heroes, villains, monsters, magic, gear, and adventure.
• Splicers® RPG is like Iron Man meets Game of Thrones with elements of Terminator – except this army of Iron Men are clad in living body armor and wield living, organic weapons and devices. Created in 2004 by writer and game designer Carmen Bellaire, Splicers® was nominated for an Inquest Gamer Magazine Fan Awards Game of the Year, and has since developed a rabid fan base. Science fiction and horror where humans are forced to use genetically engineered, living weapons and organic war machines to battle an insane Artificial Intelligence and her robot legions. Unlike anything you have ever played before!
• Splicers®: I Am Legion™ Adventure Sourcebook: 6 new Great Houses, 4 new Host Armors, 6 new War Mounts, 19 new Bio-Weapons, 15 new killer machines, new Bio-Enhancements, Amalgam creation tables, Legion and a series of adventures that build into a small campaign, and more.
• Palladium Fantasy RPG®, 1st Edition Rules and sourcebooks. A unique world of magic, monsters and heroes. Dozens of nonhuman player characters including Wolfen, Bearmen, Ogres, Orcs and more. 100,000 years of history.
• Palladium Fantasy RPG®, 2nd Edition Rules and many sourcebooks. The expanded world of high fantasy, magic, mystery and heroes of every variety. Includes the Mind Mage and psychic abilities, mages and spells, magic circles and symbols, men-at-arms, scoundrels and a wide range of inhuman player characters including Wolfen, Bearmen, Ogres, Orcs and many more. 100,000 years of history.
• Heroes Unlimited™ RPG first edition rule book and sourcebooks.
• Heroes Unlimited™ RPG Second Edition rule book and sourcebooks. Create any type of superhuman you can desire and bring comic book adventures to life.
• Dead Reign® RPG (Zombie Apocalypse). The dead have risen. It is the battle for survival in the zombie apocalypse, but this setting is much more than your typical zombie game. Play ordinary people or special characters better equipped to survive and hunt zombies. Many unusual types of zombies.
• Dead Reign® Sourcebooks: 6 sourcebooks from Civilization Gone™ to Hell Followed™ (the latter features stats for 23 disasters, masked lunatics, 11 new zombies, 7 apocalyptic character classes, and more) are available.
• Beyond the Supernatural™ RPG, 1st Edition Rules. Supernatural horror in the modern world. Play ordinary people, psychics, paranormal investigators or for something different: Victim Characters!
• Beyond the Supernatural™ RPG, 2nd Edition: The complete, revised core game, 14 character classes and 42 occupations for "ordinary people," 100+ psychic abilities, 16 monsters, the Lazlo Agency, world setting and rules.
• Nightbane® RPG and sourcebooks. An RPG setting we call superhero horror. Dark conspiracy, a secret, demon invasion starting with world leaders and law enforcement, and it is spreading. The player characters are the Nightbane®, reluctant superhumans who must turn into monsters themselves to unleash their powers and battle the evil that is clear only to them. A dark, sinister and challenging world of horror.
• After the Bomb® RPG and sourcebooks. Planet of the Apes meets the X-Men! Animal creations, powers and more. Create any type of intelligent mutant animal you can imagine as friend or foe.
• Ninjas & Superspies™ RPG and the Mystic China™ sourcebook. James Bond meets Enter the Dragon. 41 types of martial arts, ninjas, and super-spies with gadgets, gizmos and advanced weapons.
• The Mechanoid Invasion® Trilogy RPG is a long time, cult favorite with a fatalistic world-view of humans vs aliens with superior technology.
• The Palladium Weapon Series of real world weapons, armor and castles throughout history. Designed for use with ANY game system.
• 200+ Palladium titles in all, plus G.M. kits, paper miniatures and more.
• Heroes Unlimited™ Paper Miniatures – Two sets are now available!
• Palladium Fantasy RPG® Paper Miniatures – Volumes #1-6 are available now. More are coming in the weeks ahead.
• Rifts® Paper Miniatures: Men at Arms – $2.99
• Rifts® Paper Miniatures: Coalition Dead Boys – $2.99
• Rifts® Paper Miniatures: Adventurers – $2.99
• Rifts® Paper Miniatures: Practitioners of Magic (new) – $2.99
• Rifts® Paper Miniatures: Extras (new) – $2.99
• And more to come in the weeks ahead.

Palladium Collectibles, Negatives, Artwork, other Collectibles and Toys are always available in Kevin’s Online Toy & Collectibles eBay Store along with other good things

My eBay store is one of the few places where you can find original artwork by Charles "Chuck" Walton, Kevin Long, and others, as well as one-of-a-kind negatives from classic Rifts® and other Palladium RPG books (they look awesome framed!), rare Palladium collector hardcovers, signed books, other Palladium memorabilia, toys from my personal collection and other collectibles. Check every couple of weeks because we often post new stuff or offer a new sale. There is a sale on negatives starting today, in fact.

Other one-of-a-kind original artwork available by me (Kevin Siembieda), Kevin Long, Charles Walton II (money goes to the artist), other artists, as well as collectible negatives, prints, limited edition hardcovers, proofreader copies, out of print items, Star Wars toys, Marvel toys and many other toys and collectibles from my personal collection. Alex and I will keep adding items as our busy schedules allow, but we have a lot of fun collectibles available now and coming soon. Hundreds of items. Take a look every weekend for new additions.

Available now: One-of-a-kind book negatives. Negatives were very popular items at the Palladium Open House and people went crazy over them at Gen Con – including actor Joe Manganiello who scooped up a pile of TMNT negatives, while Palladium's own Mark Oberle, Carmen Bellaire, Brandon Aten and a whole lot of Palladium gamers went for negatives from Rifts® New West, Lone Star and Free Quebec. Fun.

Negatives are unique and attractive, one-of-a-kind (on rare occasions two-of-a-kind if a page was replaced or a second edition was made) works of art that resemble woodcut art and are very dynamic conversation pieces. Before digital printing, pages of a book were laid out by hand on a board, and each page was photographed. The plastic film negatives were then "ganged" on a massive sheet of Mylar 16 pages per big sheet, and the printing plates were made from the negatives – everything white, printing black.

When our printer, McNaughton and Gunn, went completely digital, they asked if Palladium Books wanted the negs, otherwise they would be destroyed. Regrettably, I let a few dozen be destroyed, but the negatives of many books were sent to Palladium. They have sat in our warehouse for years until I started to offer them for sale. I have also started signing the negatives in silver and each comes with a Certificate of Authenticity. Each negative comes on a white board inside a plastic magazine bag and looks fabulous framed! Fits in an 8x10 inch matt opening in a frame (each neg is roughly 8½ x 11 inches).

http://stores.ebay.com/kevinstoys-artandcollectibles

Closing Thoughts

It has been an exciting week watching those Rifts® 30th “Gold” Hardcovers shipping out like crazy every day and the launch of Pinnacle’s Rifts® Savage Worlds Kickstarter take off like a rocket. Heck, by the time you read this, the Rifts® 30th “Gold” Hardcovers could be close to sold out. The Rifts® 30th Anniversary Color Cover Hardcover too. (Cat. No. 800HC30, $49.99 retail, an extra 32 color pages and features the famous Keith Parkinson Splugorth Slave Barge painting.) I will offer a half dozen or so Printer Proofs of the Rifts® 30th “Gold” hardcover in my Ebay Store this weekend. So if you missed the signed and numbered Gold, maybe you can get a signed Printer Proof for a little bit more. I suspect these will all become a high-demand collector’s item pretty fast.

Of course, I am writing whenever I am not fighting with a printer about scheduling, sending in titles for reprints, and juggling a thousand other things. There have been some nice moments for me this week and a few difficult ones, but overall I am feeling very positive about Palladium Books’ current course and our future. I am taking action to make the company stronger and more productive in the future.

As for the week ahead, we will continue to ship the two Rifts® 30th Anniversary editions, Rifts® Ultimate Edition (back in stock), and the next three RPG hardcovers – After the Bomb®, Dead Reign®, and Ninjas & Superspies, while continuing to work on new releases. According to the weather service, we are looking at a 7 day stretch of rain starting tonight. If that applies to you as well, stay safe and enjoy a nice weekend indoors, maybe playing games. Snag one or both of the 2 Rifts® 30th Anniversary editions while you still can along with any of our RPG titles, take a peek at the Rifts® Savage Worlds Kickstarter, and game on!

- Kevin Siembieda, Publisher, Writer, Gamer, Friend

NEW! Miniature Releases – Available now

You have been asking about new miniatures and we are providing. All miniatures come in a plastic bag. The newest three are:

Rifts® Glitter Boy™ & Pilot (original) Miniature Pack – 1st time available in resin – 28 mm resin – $19.99 retail – Cat. No. MI8001. Five Pieces: 1. Complete G.B. body and a small base, 2. right arm and Boom Gun, 3. backpack/thrusters, 4. ammo drum and belt, and 5. pilot. The ever-popular, classic Glitter Boy and Pilot (1993 RAFM) – now in resin for the first time (prior releases were pewter figures). Available now.

NEW! Rifts® CS Firebreather Dead Boy™ Miniature – true scale 32 mm resin – $9.99 retail – Cat. No. MI8047. Five pieces: 1. the body, 2. right arm and gun, 3. left arm, 4. antenna, 5. custom base. Detailed and dynamic figure. Available now.

NEW! Rifts® Juicer™ Miniature – true scale 32 mm resin – $9.99 retail – Cat. No. MI8048. Three pieces: 1. the complete body, 2. crossed swords on the back that fit so snugly that you may not even need to glue it, 3. custom base. Detailed and dynamic figure. Available now.

And don’t forget about the Deluxe Rifts® Glitter Boy Resin Miniature – released in fall 2020 – 32 mm resin – $34.99 retail – Cat. No. MI8046 – a gorgeous, detailed and dynamic figure. Available now.

Rifts^® Novels – Available now

All Rifts® novels are available from the Palladium Books online store as physical books as well as PDFs from DriveThruRPG.com. All are a fun read and highly recommended. Enjoy.

• All novels are 5 x 8 inches in size unless otherwise indicated.
• Page count and price varies.
• Available as physical books from palladiumbooks.com and as PDFs on DriveThruRPG.com
• Rifts® Duty’s Edge is the story of a lone survivor of a New German Republic Special Forces operation who struggles to complete the mission on his own. A mission to destroy wicked monsters and cut off a vital line of support to the Gargoyle Empire. A mission that could save many lives. Of course, it is a journey that takes many twists and turns as one determined individual hopes to beat impossible odds. Set in the Middle East. 236 pages – $12.99 retail – Cat. No. 308 – the newest, stand alone novel.
• Rifts® Sonic Boom™. Follow the exploits of a CS platoon sworn to protect humankind from all threats, be they aliens, dragons, masters of magic or fellow humans out for themselves.
• Rifts® Deception’s Web™, the second novel in this trilogy, reveals a conspiracy within the Coalition military that could spell disaster for our protagonists. Note: Smaller size, 4 x 6 inches.
• Rifts® Treacherous Awakenings™ is the pulse-pounding conclusion of the third novel in this epic trilogy by Adam Chilson.
• Rifts Anthology: Tales of the Chi-Town ‘Burbs™. Rifts® short stories by 11 authors including Kevin Siembieda, Carl Gleba, Mark Oberle, Braden Campbell, Taylor White, Jason Richards, and others. Note: Slightly larger size, 6 x 9 inches.
• Rifts® Machinations of Doom™ Graphic Novel & Sourcebook. The comic is by acclaimed Eisner Award winning artist Ramon K. Perez, source material by Siembieda and Perez. Note: 8½ x 11 inches.
• Rifts® Path of the Storm was a Rifts® movie script written on spec. Note: 8½ x 11 inches.
• Rifts® Hammer of the Forge™, Volume One: The Cosmo-Knight. The adventures of Caleb Vulcan, newly minted Knight of the Cosmic Forge.
• Rifts® Hammer of the Forge™, Volume Two: The Reckoning. The epic conclusion of the Hammer of the Forge story.

Gamer 16 Ounce Mug – available now

Whether you drink coffee, hot cocoa, soda-pop, or whatever your beverage of choice may be, this fun mug reminds you of your favorite pastime and that new possibilities exist with every roll of the dice.

The large, 16 ounce Gamer mug presents the word “Gamer” in a box with dice cascading down from above. The design appears on both sides of the mug. Created by Wayne Smith and Freddie Williams II (art directed by Kevin Siembieda). The mug has an orange interior to add a nice splash of color.

• A must for every proud gamer!
• Dice and the word “Gamer” highlighted in a box.
• Glossy black exterior with an orange interior.
• Art and words are located on both sides of the mug.
• 16 ounce ceramic mug.
• Dishwasher and microwave safe.
• $10.99 retail – Cat. No. 2596 – available now.

BACK IN STOCK! Property of the Coalition States 16 Ounce Mug – available now

Back due to popular demand! The iconic Property of the Coalition States and notorious CS Death’s Head insignia printed white on a glossy black, 16 ounce coffee mug, with a blood red interior for a splash of color. The design appears on both sides of the mug. Created by Wayne Smith and Kevin Long (art directed by Kevin Siembieda).

• The infamous words “Property of the Coalition States” and the notorious Death’s Head logo and lightning bolts (indicating CS special forces) in white.
• Glossy black exterior with a blood red interior color.
• Art and words are located on both sides of the mug.
• 16 ounce ceramic mug.
• Dishwasher and microwave safe.
• $10.99 retail – Cat. No. 2588 – available now.

Other Mugs Available Now

Everyone loves these mugs. Isn’t it time you started your collection? I like to use them to as a secret code to reflect my mood to those around me. To my thinking the Gamer mug means I’m feeling playful. Rifts® Property of the Coalition States: I’m a soldier in the trenches and working hard. Dead Reign®: Back off or I will eat you alive. Fantasy Dragon: My imagination is on fire. Rifts Logo: Feeling the infinite possibilities. Rifts® Titan Robotics: I’m feeling mighty. Of course, they represent something else to each of you or just represent one of your favorite games, like a normal person.

• Rifts® Titan Robotics™ Mug – A dynamic Titan robot and the Rifts® logo. Art by Steven Cummings. White on a glossy black, 16 ounce ceramic mug with a blue interior. Dishwasher and microwave safe. $10.99 retail – Cat. No. 2595 – available now.
• Rifts® Logo Coffee Mug – The famous Rifts® logo in white on a glossy black, 16 ounce ceramic mug with a blue interior. Logo by Kevin Long. Dishwasher and microwave safe. $10.99 retail – Cat. No. 2587 – available now.
• Palladium Fantasy RPG® Dragon Mug – The famous red on black 3-headed hydra battling a knight from the iconic original Palladium Fantasy RPG cover. Art by Kevin Siembieda. Red on a glossy black, 16 ounce ceramic mug with an attractive orange interior. Dishwasher and microwave safe. $10.99 retail – Cat. No. 2589 – available now.
• Dead Reign® (Zombie Attack) Mug – A trio of hungry zombies and the Dead Reign® logo in white on a glossy black, 16 ounce ceramic mug with a blood red interior for a splash of color. Art by Steven Cummings. Dishwasher and microwave safe. $10.99 retail – Cat. No. 2594 – available now.

© 2021 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved.

Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Splicers®, Powers Unlimited®, Palladium Books®, The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Phase World®, Nightbane®, Megaverse®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Coalition Wars®, Chaos Earth®, Dead Reign®, and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc.; Beyond the Supernatural, Coalition States, Garden of the Gods, Heroes Unlimited, Ninjas & Superspies, Minion War, Mysteries of Magic, Psychic Scream, SAMAS, Thundercloud Galaxy, Three Galaxies, Vampire Kingdoms, and other published book titles, names, slogans and likenesses are trademarks of Palladium Books Inc., and Kevin Siembieda.

This press release may be reprinted, reposted, linked and shared for the sole purpose of advertising, promotion and sales solicitation.